The Arch of Titus, 1855
Medium
Albumen silver print
Dimensions
Image/paper: 36.9 × 27.7 cm (14 9/16 × 10 15/16 in.); Mount: 64.5 × 49.2 cm (25 7/16 × 19 3/8 in.)
Classification
albumen silver print
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
118862
Art Historical Context
In 1855, Scottish photographer Robert MacPherson capturedThe Arch of Titus* in an exquisite albumen silver print, now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago Photography and Media Department. MacPherson, based in Rome from the 1840s, specialized in architectural photography, producing meticulous records of the city's ancient monuments. This 36.9 × 27.7 cm image (mounted to 64.5 × 49.2 cm) the iconic triumphal arch erected in 81 AD by Domitian to honor his brother Titus's victories, including the sack of Jerusalem in 70 AD The arch's detailed reliefs—depicting spoils like the menorah from the Se...
About the Artist
Robert MacPherson · 1811–1872
Robert Macpherson (1811–1872) was a Scottish artist who began his career in medicine before pivoting to painting and ultimately pioneering photography in Rome. Born in the Tayside region near Edinburgh, he enrolled at the University of Edinburgh in 1831 to study medicine but left without graduating after four years. He then trained at the Royal Scottish Academy, where he exhibited portraits from 1...